ISLAMABAD
\nIt started with a promise. Amna, a housewife from Satellite Town, Sargodha, just wanted to become a mother. A neighbor suggested a \u201cspiritual healer\u201d who claimed to break the curse that was \u201cblocking\u201d her from conceiving. Desperate, she paid over a hundred thousand rupees.
\nHe gave her taweez (amulets), strange instructions, and planted suspicions against her in-laws. Months later, after finally seeing a doctor, Amna conceived\u2014naturally. The curse was never real. The only thing broken was her trust. Stories like Amna\u2019s are far too common in Pakistan, especially among women, the elderly, and the emotionally vulnerable.
\nDespite laws now in place, the crackdown on black magic remains weak, and fake healers continue to operate in the open. You\u2019ll still find wall chalkings in Islamabad and Rawalpindi offering to \u201cbring back your lost love,\u201d \u201cunlock lottery numbers,\u201d or \u201cguarantee exam success.\u201d The language changes, but the trick is always the same: give hope, take money, disappear.
\nIn a major step forward, Pakistan has added Section 297A to its Penal Code. Black magic, sorcery, and fake \u201cspiritual services\u201d are now officially criminal acts. Offenders can face six months to seven years in jail and fines of up to one million rupees. These are non-bailable crimes, meant to show the state is serious.
\nBut in practice, enforcement is weak. Aside from removing some wall chalkings in the twin cities, little else has changed. The charm sellers, the so-called \u201cBengali babas,\u201d and blood-taweez writers continue to prey on the poor and hopeless\u2014because they know most victims stay silent out of shame or fear.
\nBut their tactics aren\u2019t limited to alleyways and wall chalkings anymore. They now advertise openly in newspapers, magazines, and even on some television channels. Their presence on social media is growing, where they promote fake testimonials, post videos, and even share their visiting cards and phone numbers for \u201conline spiritual services.\u201d
\nThe business has gone digital, and its targeting people faster than ever.These fraudsters don\u2019t use magic. They use psychology. Their tactics are carefully designed to trap people when they are emotionally weak: They promise love: If your relationship is struggling, they offer love spells or ways to \u201ccontrol\u201d your partner.
\nThey exploit health issues: Can\u2019t have children? They\u2019ll say it\u2019s a spiritual curse\u2014only they can lift it.They prey on ambition: Students are promised exam success through charms, or job seekers are offered special taweez to \u201cimpress\u201d interviewers.
\nThey use fear: By claiming evil eyes, black shadows, or family enemies are harming you, they create panic\u2014and then sell themselves as the only solution.As social psychologist Dr. Anthony Pratkanis puts it while: \u201cDeception works not by making people stupid, but by making them hopeful.\u201d
\nThese fake magicians don\u2019t just take money\u2014they take control. They isolate people from loved ones, increase dependency, and create fear where there should be peace. Hasan Mahmood, from Moza Bouri, Jhang, shared his experience talking to media: \u201cI wanted to marry someone, and a fake baba said he\u2019d \u2018open the way.\u2019
\nI gave him thousands. Nothing happened. When I focused on self-improvement instead, the match worked out. I realized then\u2014if you\u2019re not worthy of love, magic won\u2019t help. If you are, you don\u2019t need it. \u201dRoy Dawood, a student, said he still sees wall chalkings daily: \u201cSome claim to write spells in owl\u2019s blood. Others call themselves \u2018Bengali baba.\u2019
\nIt\u2019s disgusting. It makes us look backward and damages our image as a society.\u201dReligious scholar Ghulam Muhammad told media that the Qur\u2019an itself warns in clear terms: \u201cAnd indeed they knew that the buyers of magic would have no share in the Hereafter. And wretched is that for which they sold their souls, if they only knew.\u201d (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:102)
\nHe said these practices fuel hatred, suspicion, and break down the social fabric. Lawyer Usman Farooq Dhudhi added that Pakistan\u2019s new laws are a good start, but laws alone don\u2019t fix superstitions. \u201cTo truly stop black magic, we need public awareness through media, schools, and religious leaders.
\nLaws must be enforced properly\u2014stop the ads, arrest repeat offenders, and shut down their networks. Mental health support is also key, so people find real help instead of turning to magic.\u201d Until then, black magic will keep thriving in the shadows, feeding on fear and broken dreams.
\nBlack magic only has power because we allow it. When we speak out, seek real help, and demand change, the illusion fades. The true magic lies in faith, knowledge, and courage. Don\u2019t let a fake healer control your life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD It started with a promise. Amna, a housewife from Satellite Town, Sargodha, just wanted to become a mother. A neighbor suggested a \u201cspiritual healer\u201d who claimed to break the curse that was \u201cblocking\u201d her from conceiving. Desperate, she paid over a hundred thousand rupees. He gave her taweez (amulets), strange instructions, and planted suspicions […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":505588,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-505540","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n